Sunday, October 22, 2006

We landed at Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday at 1:30 AM. We slept a few hours and walked into the Old City to have Mass at the Latin Patriarchate. Then we had lunch and worked on preparations to receive the Legatus pilgrims.

Two couples arrive Sunday afternoon, the Myers and the Rainey’s, so we plan to take them on a quick walk through the Old City of Jerusalem and to dinner at Nafoura’s Restaurant in the Christian Quarter. Our videographer Joe Reynolds will join us. We pick up our group Monday with our bus and begin our pilgrimage in Galilee on Monday.

It is very quiet here –safe and and ready for pilgrims. For those who hesitate to visit the Holy Land out of fear — the fear is unnecessary and ill-advised. It is too bad that some Christians miss such an opportunity because they are afraid. Buses fill the parking lots at the Holy Sites. It is estimated there are about 100,000 tourists/pilgrims/visitors in Israel right now.